This Former NFL QB Is Tailgating For Cannabis Research

Let’s face it, the NFL has a crisis on its hands. Films like Concussion and the harrowing stories of dozens of former players have finally made the epidemic of brain injuries a national talking point. Fortunately, for the players and the League, there couldn’t be a better time to be talking about it. And for former Denver Broncos QB Jake Plummer, the wait has been long enough.

That’s because cannabis research keeps turning up positive indications about the cannabinoid CBD. That research shows how CBD is a powerful tool in the fight against brain injury. NFL players suffer from deadly brain injuries like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). So they have their ear to the ground when it comes to the latest developments in medical cannabis research.

That’s why “Jake the Snake” is taking tailgating to a whole new level. In order to raise money for a series of studies on cannabinoid treatments for traumatic brain injury, Plummer is auctioning off a season’s worth of “game-day experiences” for Broncos fans.

Tailgating For Cannabis Research

Plummer is auctioning off 16 game-day experiences he likes to call “Game Day with the Snake.” The packages offer time hanging out with Plummer, of course. But they also feature “surprise VIP guests” from the Broncos. Then, there’s all the access and swag. Winning bidders will get a ticket and a pregame pass to hang out on the field for the Broncos’ January 1st season finale against the Oakland Raiders. They’ll also receive an invitation to a private tailgate party, luxury transportation to and from the game, a “swag bag” loaded with Broncos gear, and to top it all off, an autographed football from a Broncos player.

Already have tickets? Not a problem, fans who already had plans to attend the game will still get the same experience, including a tailgate party with Plummer and other Broncos players. Want to take your shot tailgating for the cause of cannabis? Make your bids for Plummer’s tailgate packages here.

Jake Plummer Partners with ‘Realm of Caring’

Few people know that since leaving the NFL, Jake Plummer has taken a lead role in the continuing battle to allow NFL players to use CBD for medicinal reasons. Colorado-based Realm of Caring (ROC) has already helped fund two studies on the potential benefits of using CBD to treat chronic brain injury in NFL players. Now, the two are partnering up raise awareness and money for research that benefits both active and retired NFL players.

With support from groups like ROC, the movement is starting to get traction in the league. The NFL Players Association recently put together a pain management committee. That committee is studying how cannabis could be a safer treatment for pain than opioid painkillers. The problem is with the League’s rules. It forbids players from testing with more than 35 nanograms of THC in their urine. The League says THC poses a risk to players.

Now, it’s down to a bargaining issue. The Players Association needs to convince the League to change its substance-abuse policy on marijuana. At least, it needs to allow for an exception for medical or therapeutic use. And that’s exactly what Jake Plummer hopes to accomplish by raising money for further study.

Adam is a staff writer for Green Rush Daily who hails from Corvallis, Oregon. He’s an artist, musician, and higher educator with deep roots in the cannabis community. His degrees in literature and psychology drive his interest in the therapeutic use of cannabis for mind and body wellness.